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(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 11.

H. SCHMIDT, A. MERUNKA & O. J. WERNER. CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE.

No. 492,438. Patented Feb. 28, 1893.

WITNESSES: i M l/ENTOHS Y cam.

(No'ModeL) v 4 Sheets-Sheet 2. H. SCHMIDT, A. MERUNKA & 0'. J. WERNER.CIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE,

I N0. 492,438. Patented Feb. 28, 1893.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 3." H. $CHMIDT, A. MERUNKA & 0. J. WERNER.

CIGAR BUNOHING MAUHINE- N0. 492,438. Patented Feb. 28, 1893.

WITNESSES: IN NTOHS R r' AT7'0HNEY.

(No Model.) 4 SheetsSheet 4.

H. SCHMIDT, A. MERUNKA 8v 0. J.'WERNER. GIGAR BUNGHING MACHINE- No.492,438. Patented Feb. 28,1893.

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WITNESSES. Q I r 1 i W I V ---'--71Tr0mvEY.

ma uonms PETERS co, PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHXNGTON u c UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE.

HENRY SCHMIDT, AUGUST MERUNKA, AND CHARLES J. WERNER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

GIGAR-BUNCHING MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 492,438, dated February28, 1893 Application filed J 1111s 28, 1892. Serial No. 438,274. (Nomodel.)

To'aZZ whom it may cancer-n.-

Be it known that we, HENRY SCHMIDT, AU- GUST MERUNKA, and CHARLES J.WERNER, citizens of the United States, and residents of 5 New York, inthe county of New York and State of Ne w York, have invented certain newand useful Improvements in Oigar-Bunching Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

IO The invention relates to improvements in cigar bunching machines, andparticularly to improvements in or further developments of the machinesdescribed and claimed in Letters Patent of the United States No. 459,416

[5 granted to Henry Schmidt, August Merunka and Charles Werner on the thday of September, 1891, for a machine for preparing filler tobacco forcigar bunches, and No. 465,499 granted to the same persons on the 2o 22dday of December, l89l,for a cigar bunching machine.

The invention consists in special features of construction andcombinations of parts hereinafterdesoribed and particularly pointed 25out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a side elevation ofa cigar bunching machine constructed in accordance with the invention.Fig. 2 is a central vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged scale,of a portion of the feed mechanism and the end of the machine comprisingthe mechanism by which the separate charges of filler tobacco aresevered from the main body thereof, carried to the rolling apron andtable, and then rolled into theusual binder. Fig. 3 is a detached faceview of the hinged leaf following the funnel by which the severedcharges of filler tobacco are conveyed to the bunch rolling 4omechanism, said leaf and. funnel being shown in their two extremepositions by full and dotted lines respectively in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is acentral vertical longitudinal section, on an enlarged sea1e,of themechanism for feeding and preparing the filler tobacco, which is movedonward to the bunch forming mechanism illustrated in Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is adetached elevation of a yielding presser connected with the knife whichsevers the separate, charges of tobacco for the bunches. Fig. 6 is avertical section of same with adetached section of the feed trough,showing the tiller tobacco and the said yielding presser, the latter andthe knife being in their upward position. Fig.

7 is a like view of same, showing the knife and yielding presser intheir lower or depressed position. Fig. 8 is a top view of the end ofthe machine devoted to the feeding of the tobacco for the fillers. Fig.9 is a top view, partly broken away, of a portion of same, withconnecting devices hereinafter referred to for applyinga smalladditional. quan-- tity of the tobacco to the middle portion of thelayer of filler tobacco. Fig. 10 is a side elevation of same, and Fig.11 is a detached end view of the receiver and reciprocating plunger forpreparing the tiller tobacco.

The machine consists of three main parts, the first being a pair ofendless feed belts receiving and moving the tobacco to a recipro- 7oeating plunger; the second, a horizontal trough which receives thefiller tobacco from said belts under the action of said plunger and inwhich the elongated body of filler tobacco is caused to travel forwardby intermittent movements by a pair of endless chains carrying fingersor pins which enter slots formed in the cover of the trough and engagethe tobacco; and, third, the bunch forming mechanism. v

In the drawings A, B, designate the endless feed belts mounted onrollers C, D, andforming between them an inclined way adapted to receivethe tobacco from the hand of the at tendant and convey it downward tothe entrance of the receiver E, which is in line and communicates withthe main trough F, forming in reality an extension or part of saidtrough. The facing portions of said belts A,

B, are backed by the rigid boards G, and at 0 the outer portion of saidbelts are provided the tension rolls H, I, which are adjustable towardor from the belts by means of the plates J which carry the rolls and theset screws L passing through the slots M in the 5 frame N supporting therollers O, D, and which frame is itself removably supported at its outerend on the rod 0 and at its inner .end on the transverse bar P, securingnuts Q,

B, being provided to retain the frame N firmly mo in place. Uponremoving the nuts R, the

frame N carrying the rollers O, D, and belts A, B, may be turned upwardon the rod 0, leaving the entrance to the receiver E clear forinspection. The rod 0 is sustained in the upper end of the arms S boltedto the main frame of the machine.

The width from one side of the machine to the other, of the spacebetween the belts A, B, should normally be of a size adapted to thelength of the filler for the longest bunch to be made, and this spacemay then be narrowed or graduated for the tiller of shorter bunches bymeans of the laterally adjustable side plates T provided with theadjusting screws V and lock nuts W, as shown in Fig. 8. The screws Vpass through threaded apertures in the sides of the frame N and havetheir inner ends swiveled in washers X affixed to the T and effect theiradjustment toward and from each other.

The rollers O, D, and belts A, B, have imparted to them an intermittentmotion by means presently to be described, and thereby by intermittentstages the tobacco is carried downward to the entrance of the receiverE, into which it is driven and compressed by the reciprocating plungerY, the movement of the belts A, B, alternating with that of the plungerY, so that the belts will feed downward when the plunger is in itsrearward position,

shown in Fig. 4, and will remain at rest during the forward thrust ofsaid plunger into the mouth of the receiver. The receiverE and plunger Yapproximate in outline that of a cigar bunch, and said elements with themeans for operating the plunger are shown in the aforesaid LettersPatent No. 459,416. The ends of the plunger Y have pins (1, which areengaged by the rocking arms I) mounted on the transverse shaft d; andsaid arms I) are connected by rods 6 with the pivoted knivesfand operatesaid knives to remove any surplus tobacco g which may extend through theopposite edges of the receiver E, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and as morefully shown and described in our aforesaid patent No. 459,416. In thepresent machine the rocking arms I) are utilized through appropriatemechanism to effect the movement of the rollers O, D, and belts A, B,and as shown in Fig. 1, the ends of the shafts of the upper rollers O,D, are provided with gear wheels h, '1', connected by the intermediatepinionsj, while the gear wheel i is further provided with the ratchetwheel m, which receives motion from the pawl 7t and impart-s the samethrough the gear wheels and pinions to the rollers C, D, and thence tothe belts A, B. The pawl n is carried by the rocking arm g which isconnected through the rod rand arm 25 with the member 10 forming a partof the rocking arms b above referred to. During the inward thrust of theplunger Yand the forward movement of the arms b the point of the pawl nwill slide over the ratchet m, and at such time the belts A, B, willremain stationary, but during the return movement of the plunger Y andarms 6 the pawl will engage and operate the ratchet and effect themovement of the rollers O, D, and belts A, B, causing the latter to feedthe tobacco downward to the receiver E in the path of the plunger Y.

The arm q, rod r, and arm t are slotted, as shown in Fig. 1, to permitin a well known manner, the adjustment of the throw of the pawl n, andconsequently the speed with which the belts A, B, will feed the tobaccoto the receiver E. The inward thrust of the plunger Yv brings the upperedge of the latter close against the shoulderm of the receiver E, andthis action severs the tobacco within the entrance of the receiver fromthat portion thereof in the space between the belts A, B; and since theplunger Y tapers toward its ends, as in said Patent No. 459,416 andmeets the corresponding edge or shoulder a: of the receiver, it resultsthat there is a little surplus tobacco at the ends of the plunger Y,this surplus being accumulated on the downward taper of the ends of theplunger. The surplus tobacco thus formed by the tapered ends of theplunger on the inward thrust of the latter we move inward toward thelongitudinal center of the body of tobacco, and thus provide an extraproportion of the tobacco at the center of the mass and consequently thefull amount of tobacco required at the middle ofthe bunches. The meansby which the said surplus tobacco is moved inward are shown more fullyin Figs. 8, 9 and 10, and consist of the diverging pusher-plates a, 17,secured to laterally extending rods 0, which pass through guide bracketsd and are secured at their outer ends by heads 6, to the slotted innerends of the spring side-armsf, which are fastened at their outer ends tothe frame N and are provided with the bowed portions g in position to beacted on by the arms h secured to the shaft d. During the inward thrustof the plunger Y, leaving the said small surplus of tobacco, the shaft dcarries the arms it against the spring arms f and forces them, with therods 0 and plates at, b, inward toward each other, thus crowding thesaid surplus tobacco inward toward the center, as shown at t in Fig. 9.Upon the return of the plunger Y to its outward position, the arms h arerelieved from the bowed portion of the spring arms f and the latterwithdraw the rods 0 and plates at, 19, leaving the surplus 'i to fall inthe path of the plunger and at the middle of the mass where it will bepressed onward by the succeeding inward thrust of said plunger. Witheach inward thrust of the plunger Y, the plates a b, crowd the surplustobacco 2" toward the center, as shown, and hence in the mass of fillerprepared there will be a due supply for the formation of well formedbunches.

Between the receiver E at one end of the machine and the bunch rollingmechanism at the other end of the machine, there is the trough F abovereferred to in which the mass charges of tobacco are severed anddeliveredto the rolling mechanism. The trough F has an interiorcorresponding with the interior of the receiver E, and has in its topthe longitudinal slots j to admit the pins or fingers m carried by theendless chains n, which travel on the sprocket wheels q. The wheels qare mounted on transverse shafts, one of which is provided with the gearwheel 0" (see Fig. 1) to which motion-is imparted and which insures theproper movement in the sprocket wheels q and endless chains at. Thereare two of the endless chains 01 and four sprocket wheels for eachchain, and, as shown in Figs. 2 and 4, the wheels at each end of thetrough F are on different planes and the chains 71 extend inward at anangle from the upper to the lower sprocket wheels for the purpose ofbringing the pins or fingers m as nearly as possible to a perpendicularplane at the time of their entrance to and withdrawal from the mass offiller tobacco in the trough F, the object of this arrangement being toprevent the pins from disturbing the consistency of the mass of tobaccowhile moving it onward to the bunchrolling mechanism. The lower sectionor bottom of the trough F contains the rollers 10, 01;, carrying theendless belt y, which in width equals the width of the interior of thetrough and constitutes a section of the surface thereof; and the purposeof the belt y is to aid in moving the mass of filler tobacco to thepoint at which it is engaged by the fingers or pins on. The action ofthe plunger Y drives the mass of tobacco forward, while the belt 3moving in the direction of the tobacco draws it along until the pins 'mengage it. The belt y receives its motion from chains at through theconnecting gear wheels A, B, and the chains n have imparted to them anintermittent motion through the gear wheels r, O, ratchet D (see Fig. 1)connecting rod E,lever F and wheel G, the latter being mounted on theshaft 11 and carrying the pin l,which during the revolution of the shaftH comes into contact with and depresses the rear end of the lever F,thereby movingthe rod E upward and causing the pawl J to engage androtate the ratchet D connected with the gear wheel 0. After the pin 1passes the lever F during the revolution of the wheel G, the spring Kwill draw said lever to its initial position against its adjustable stopL preparatory to its further operation under the action of said pin 1.

The throw of the pawl J and consequently the extent of each movement ofthe ratchet D gear wheels 1*, C and chains n, may be regulated by theadjustable screw stop L, which determines the upward movement of thefree end of the lever B" and likewise the downward movementof the pawl Jto engage theratchet D. The action of the pawl J and ratchet D may befurther controlled by the adjustment of the lower end of the connect,

ing rod E with respect to the end of the lever Fa slot being provided inthe latter for that purpose. Since the chains n, through the gear wheelsA, B, impart motion to the belt y, it follows that the regulation of themovement of the chains will control the feed of the tobacco through thetrough F g; and hence it is plain that the quantity of tobacco fedthrough the trough at each movement of the chains it may be regulated atwill in accordance with the size of the bunches to be produced.

At the outlet end of the trough F there is provided a verticallyreciprocating knife M, which is operated from the shaftN throughintermediate mechanism to sever the separate charges of tobacco for thebunches from the mass fed along the trough F, as disclosed in ouraforesaid patent No. 465,499. The knife M and its operating mechanismhaving been embodied in said Patent No. 465,499 are not claimed herein,but in the present machine said knife is combined with a yieldingpresser 0 shown more clearly in Figs. 2, 5, 6 and 7, the object of whichis to descend upon and hold the end of the mass of filler tobacco duringthe descent of the knife M to sever a charge for a bunch, and to act asa stripper for the knife during its ascent.

The presser O is composed of the horizontal portion P and verticalportion Q, the latter being held against the face of the knife M byscrews R and allowed a movementfree of said knife owing to thevertically elongated slots S through which said screws pass. Thehorizontal portion of the presser 0 supports the pins T on which andconfined below lugs V are the springs W, which permit a yieldingactionin the presser and restore it to its normal position, shown in Figs. 2and 6, upon the ascent of the knife M. The charges of tobacco severedbythe knife M are conveyed to the rolling table X by means of anoscillating funnel Y containing a plunger Z, as described in said PatentNo. 465,499. At the time of the movementof the chains 01 and belt 1 tomove the mass of tobacco onward, the knife M and presser O arein theirupward position, and the funnel Y is in a horizontal position (as shownby full lines in Fig. 1 anddotted lines in Fig. 2) with its open mouthinline with said trough F for the purpose of receivin g that portion ofthe tobacco fed beyond the vertical plane of the knife M; and upon thecessation of the movement of the chainsaw the knife M and presser Odescend, the knife severing that portion of the tobacco in the funnelfrom the body thereof in the trough F, and the presser 0 firstdescending upon the body of tobacco, where it remains, as shown in Fig.7, until the knife has completed its descent and ascent. The springs Wyield to permit the knife M to pass below the presser, and then upon theascent of the knife restore the presser to its normal position withrelation thereto. The presser O on the ascent of the knife M strips thetobacco therefrom ICC and retains the mass undisturbed down upon thebottom of the trough F. The portion of the tobacco which entered thefunnel Y when in a horizontal position, is carried downward to therolling table X by the turning of said funnel to its vertical positionand the depression of said plunger Z, as set forth in the.

Patent No. 465,499. Upon the charge of tobacco being delivered to thetable X, it will be rolled into a binder in the usual manner by means ofan apron a and reciprocating roller 19. The mechanism shownin saidPatent No. 405,499 may be used for rolling the bunch if desired andhence for completeness said mechanism is shown in the accompanyingdrawings, but the invention claimed herein is not confined to saidrolling mechanism.

At the outlet end of the trough F is hinged the leaf d, which has aspring tension upward owing to the provided spring 6, and in width isabout equal to that of the funnel Y and in length is sufficient tofollow the funnel downward until it is in position to deliver the chargeof tobacco to the rolling table X. The leaf d is shown in its upwardposition in Figs. 1 and 2 and in its lower position in Fig. 2, and thepurpose of the leaf is to prevent any tobacco escaping from the funnel Yduring its movement,from falling into the mechanism or being lost. Theleaf d during the descent of the funnel Y is turned downward by thelatter and will direct any escaping tobacco to the table X; and upon theascent of the funnel the leaf will under the action of the spring 6 turnupward to the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, thus followingthe funnel preparatory to catching any particles of tobacco which mayescape therefrom on its succeeding descent.

The shaft H may be considered the driving shaft and imparts its motionto the shaft N through the chain f. The shaft N has for its duty theoperating of the knife M, funnel Y and plunger Z, as described and shownin said Patent No. 465,499, while the shaft H, as also-described in saidpatent, actuates the bunch rolling mechanism. In the present machine theshaft H has mounted upon it the gear wheel g which engages the gearwheel h mounted on the shaft 11; and upon the shaft z' is mounted theeccentric j, whose rod m" is connected with a knuckle n extending fromthe rock-shaft cl. The motion of the shaft H is through the gear wheelsg, h,imparted to the shaft i,and the shaft 7) actuates the rodm to rockthe shaft (1 and arms I) which as above described operate the knivesf,the plunger Y and belts A, B.

In the operation of the machine, the filler tobacco is fed by hand intothe space between the belts A, B, which, owing to their intermittentmovement carry the same downward by successive stages to the entrance ofthe receiver E into which it is driven and compacted by thereciprocating plunger Y, the effect of the feeding downward by the beltsA, B, and the compacting by the plunger Y being the gradual formation ofa compact mass of tobacco approximating in cross section the generalform of acigar. This mass of tobacco is fed onward partly by the pushingaction of the plunger Y adding fresh charges to it, and partly by thebelt y and fingers m on the chains n. The chains n and belt y have anintermittent motion, as above described, and this is so timed.v andadjusted that only the proper amount of tobacco for a bunch will be fedfrom the end of the trough Fand into the then up-turned funnel Ypreparatory to being severed by the descent of the knife M. The part ofthe tobaccofed into the funnel Y and then severed is carried downward tothe bunch rolling mechanism in a well known manner and by the saidmechanism rolled into a binder.

In making use of the machine, the space between the aprons A, B, may kekept reasonably full of tobacco, since their motion is not continuousand onlya proper quantity of the tobacco will be fed by them to thereceiver E. WVhen it is desired that long filler bunches shall be made,the leaves of tobacco will be broken into appropriate lengths to passbetween the side plates T and will be slightly crushed or bunchedtogether in the hands of the attendant prior to being given to the beltsV A, B, it being better that the leaves be not spread out flat when fedto the machine.

What we claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

1. The feed trough for filler tobacco, the receiver and thereciprocating plunger in line therewith, combined with the endless feedbelts A, 13, leading to said receiver, and mechanism for imparting anintermittent motion to said belts; substantially as set forth.

2. The feed trough, the receiver, and the reciprocating plunger in linetherewith, combined with the rollers O, D, the endless feed beltsthereon leading to said receiver, and the hinged frame N carrying saidrollers and belts; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The feed trough, the receiver, and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the endless feed belts A, 13, leading to said receiver,the adjustable plates T between said belts, and mechanism for impartingan intermittent motion to said belts; substantially as set forth.

4. The feed trough, the receiver and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the rollers O, D, the endless traveling belts A, B,leading to said receiver, the adjustable tension rolls H, I, and thehinged frameN carrying said rollers, belts and rolls; substantially asset forth.

5. The feed trough, the receiver, and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the endless feed belts leading to said receiver, mechanismfor imparting to said belts an intermittent motion, and the laterallyreciprocating pushers a, b, above said plunger; substantially as and forthe purposes set forth.

6. The feed trough, the receiver, and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the endless feed belts leading to said receiver, mechanismfor imparting to said belts an intermittent motion, the pushers a, I)over said plunger, the rods 0' for said pushers, the spring side arms fconnected with said rods, and the rocking arms h acting on said arms;substantially as set forth.

7. The trough for the mass of fillertobacco, the top of said troughhaving the longitudinal slots j, combined with the endless chains 72having fingers m to enter said slots, and the sprocket Wheels carryingsaid chains, the upper of said wheels being set outward from the lowerwheels and the chains extending at an angle between the upper and lowerwheels at the ends of said trough; substantially as set forth.

i 8. The feed trough, the receiver and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the endless chains carrying fingers to move the tobacco insaid trough to bunch forming mechanism; substantially as set forth.

9. The feed trough, the receiver, and the plunger in line therewith,combined with the endless belt 3 located in the bottom of said troughand the endless chains n, carrying fingers to move the tobacco in saidtrough to bunch forming mechanism; substantially as set forth.

10. The feed trough for filler tobacco, and mechanism for rolling thebunch, combined with the reciprocating knife for severing the chargesfor the bunches, and the combined yielding presser and stripper 0carried by said knife, the said presser and stripper being composed ofthe horizontal portion P and vertical portion Q, the latter beingagainst the face of the knife but allowed a movement free of the knife;substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

11. The feed trough for filler tobacco, the reciprocating knife forsevering the charges thereof for the bunches, and bunch rollingmechanism, combined with the oscillating funnel moving between saidknifeand said bunch rolling mechanism, the hinged leaf d, and the springexerting an upward tension against said leaf and causing it to followthe said funnel; substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York,this 21st day of June, A. D. 1892.

HENRY SCHMIDT. AUGUST MERUNKA. CHARLES J. WERNER.

Witnesses:

CHARLES C. GILL, E1). D. MILLER.

